Fatherhood
by Tobi is a good boy
Summary: Elrond has just become a father to twins. He reflects on what fatherhood means and on his own father, whom he never knew. He wonders how he can come to grow to be a good father to these two (mischievous) boys. Some cross-over with Sim.
1. Elrond

_Fatherhood_

_Tobi is a good boy_

I do not own the works of JRR Tolkien

_One_

* * *

_-Elrond-_

In the halls in Rivendell, Lord Elrond held a small bundle gently in his hands, hardly believing this was real.

_He, he of all people, was a father_.

For a moment, he wondered if his own father had felt the same way when he was born.

_Torn between joy and sadness that this perfect moment would pass. _

The small bundle wriggled in his hands, tiny grey eyes opening and closing. The baby had Celebrian's own grey, mischievous eyes.

_I must look like a giant to him…._

"He has your eyes, Celebrian," he murmured to his wife, who lay, resting on their bed. Sweat from the births still clung to her forehead, but she smiled wearily.

"The twins seem to approve of Lord Glorfindel," she murmured to him.

In the corner by the fireplace, Lord Glorfindel held another small bundle. It was an odd sight to see one of the most feared warriors in all of Middle Earth cooing at a small baby. The baby giggled as Glorfindel continued making various faces down at the small bundle.

Elrond grinned at the sight.

_They…will know their birth-father…_

He had vague memories of his birth-father, the feel of a warm hands or the touch of a kiss on the forehead. Elrond had never had met his-birth father except in those vague memories of childhood. He was taken, before his father could ever meet his son.

_And I shall keep them safe!_

Celebrian wrapped her hand in his. Her great silver hair was splayed across the pillow and her grey eyes shone with happiness.

"We should name them, Elrond. We can't just go on calling them 'the twins' forever."

"It's true, Elrond," Glorfindel padded over to the Elrond, holding the small bundle close to his chest. "We've got to have something to tell these two apart."

Elrond smiled. He had already thought of the names of his children, long ago before he had met Celebrian.

"I quite like…Elladan and Elohir."

"Elladan and Elohir," repeated Celebrian with a nod of silver hair, "Say hello to your father."

Elrond, caught in between wonder, joy and sadness could not do anything but smile at his- _his children! _

Glorfindel clapped a great hand on Elrond's shoulder, tethering him to reality.

"Hello, Elladan and Elohir," he whispered, softly to his boys.

Outside, in the night sky, Earendil looked on. To the onlooker, it seemed to twinkle, as if for a moment, winking.


	2. Earendil

_Fatherhood_

_Tobi is a good boy_

I do not own the works of JRR Tolkien

* * *

_-Earendil-_

Once, long ago, he had held his sons.

The memory to him seemed soft, as if he could feel the warm swaddling clothes beneath his fingertip_s._

_They were twins, alike and yet different. _

The elder, Elros, seemed to be more mischievous and had a quick temper.

The younger, Elrond, was more thoughtful and often just gazed above at the stars. As if the babe knew where his fate would lead him: to look upon his sons from the heavens.

He could not protect them from the designs of Melkor, nor could he prevent the Sons of Feanor holding his sons captive.

Anger burned in his heart as he thought of that wretched day, when his sons were taken, taken from their home.

_From him._

_From their birth-father._

Other ellon would step into that role for him and become fathers to his sons. They would never know him, other than to perhaps glimpse him at night.

_It was his fate, to be separated and yet to be part of their world, overlooking them from above._

_He was a story, and they were his sons._

_How could he ever be a father to them?_

Elros had chosen the Fate of Man and had passed into the halls of Mandos long ago. It pained him to know that he could never look upon his eldest son again, and that his children's children should pass into Mandos's halls as the years passed.

Long ere had he thought that Elrond, too, had chosen to be man. It seemed to him, unlikely, given Elrond's temperament as a babe.

However, as the years passed since Elros's death, and Elrond still did not face the doom of man.

He was certain now, in his heart of hearts.

_Elrond had chosen to be Elven-kind. He had chosen to be one of the Eldar._

_His son would eventually sail to the Undying Lands._

_Perhaps, Elrond would greet him there on the shore line._

_And he could clasp his son to his breast once more, and keep his child safe._

Onwards, he sailed, only to be seen to the onlooker as a shining star.


End file.
